Ace Combat: The Midnight Curtain
by Insaneiac The Maniac
Summary: Peace managed to last for four years before war broke out in northern Osea. It was on this day that the War on Hope would officially begin. It is this war that would give birth to the Riders Four Squadron, and make real the legend that began all legends.


**Insaneiac: Welcome to my new project. It, like most my other stories, are based off another Namco product that has really sent me through the ringer. This time, we're leaving behind fantasy worlds of dragons and elves, and taking to a new world. One in the skies, where the birds fly free and the only roars the echo throughout the endless blue are those of afterburners and missiles. **

**For this story, it will tie into Ace Combat Five. But from the get go, this is not going to surround the Demons/Ghosts of Razgriz. While they will eventually show up, and play a vital role, this is not a retelling of the great game. Namco did a perfect job of that story for us already. This story is about what happened after. **

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Ace Combat series. Namco (Namco Bandai now) does, and Namco made it originally._

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A tape recorder is laid down on a nightstand, inside what appears to be a simple room. There is a cot with an olive green comforter lying on it, looking as if it had only just been used. By it were a dresser and the aforementioned nightstand. Beside the tape recorder was a picture of a group of people. It was a woman and three men, one's face blocked out by the more boisterous man's elbow. They looked happy, so to speak. There was a mirror near by, and on the opposite side of the room was a door. The only window in the room was drawn shut with the curtain closed, leaving the room dark and feeling even emptier than it already did. 

A hand reached out and pressed the record button on the tape recorder, and the dry sound of tape rolling filled the silent room like water would fill a barrel. The only sound after that was slight ruffling as a body moved and picked up the picture beside the recorder. The scent in the room was thick with sweat laced sheets and fabrics, and the odor of restless humanity. It gave the room a kind of humidity that repelled intruders but almost comforted the original occupants.

"I remember when I met Wardog squadron. It was originally supposed to be a charity piece for a local new program I had been hired by. A simply good will story of Sand Island's Air force. It turned into so much more than that though. It became the story that broke my career wide open. That was only the tip of the iceberg though." This man paused for a moment, setting the picture down beside him. "You hear someone say 'air force' and you immediately start to imagine the worse possible things. That, just by being associated with it, you were already a part of the Machine, and a tool of war."

The man slouched forward, pressing his hands into his knees and staring across the room and at the wall. "My name is Albert Genette. I'm a free lance cameraman. I was the person that told the story of the Wardog squadron. Four wings as one. These were the pilots that later became known as the Demons of Razgriz." A sigh escaped his lips as a hand rose to his forehead, and brushed back slightly longer hair. He hadn't had the chance for a good haircut in far too long. "They weren't even allowed to exist. They were 'killed' in action during the tail end of the Circum-Pacific war. After they stopped the SOLG from destroying Oured, they were…how would one say it. Released from duties. They didn't care really. Why should they? They finally got the peace they fought so hard for."

"They were human. They had emotions and souls. They weren't devils or tools of the government. These were true heroes, and true people. No one deserved peace more than them." He paused for a moment, mouth half opened as he put together his next sentence. "That wasn't to be though. Not for any of them. In the end, human nature came through and new wars were waged. I wanted to ask them why. Why they decided to leave their families, why they decided to leave their lives…and become the Razgriz once more."

Another long paused filled the room, before the sound of a drawer being opened broke the partial silence. Following that, the sound of paper ripping joined the thick and temperate air of the room. "I remember last time, I was new. I took footage of things that would interest the heart of the viewer. That changed this time. All of it changed this time. I knew this was a different breed of war, but I didn't realize just how dirty so many hands were."

_**------**__** Ace Combat: The Midnight Curtain**__**------**_

A larger object was pulled out of the envelope this time. He then stood up off of the bed and walked over to the door, locking it. Then, he took the chair nearby and propped it against the door, boarding himself in. There was no fear or panic in his movements. It was as though this was business as usual.

_**------**__**Based on: Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War**__**------**_

"There are so many legends in the world. But this one stands out. Much like the legend of the Razgriz did and still does." Another sound, this time unlike anything else. It was the sound of a pistol's slide being pulled back, and the safety being switched off. "There's another legend that has come alive. The legend of the Riders Four."

_**------ **__**Written by: Insaneiac the Maniac**__**------**_

_It is said that in times not counted by man, Darkness and Light waged a million wars against one another for dominance.  
These were the battles of Good and Evil that became the foundation of fairy tales and legend._

_In their final climatic war, the Darkness called forth for the greatest warriors of its four greatest clans.  
These clans gave forth a single warrior each, stronger than a thousand men and always moving forwards._

_Atop their invincible steeds, bathed in the fires of war and destruction and cloaked in midnight shared,  
These Riders Four rained death and destruction upon the forces of the good and the pure, rending their armies with ease._

_But, in the climatic final battle, when all seemed lost for the light…The Riders Four disappeared from the field of battle…_

_**------**__**Prologue – He, The Reaper**__**-----**_

_**------Twenty Years Ago ------**_

"_The God of Thunder is charging! Five minutes until it fires! HURRY!"_

"_Come on! YOU HEARD HIM! Keep it up! KEEP! IT! UP!"_ An enemy pilot screamed over the radio system as eight SU-47s dived towards a vehicle that could only be called a super tank. They split apart as the enemy squadron intercepted them, firing upon them as they once again tried to destroy the vehicle before them.

The vehicle in question was a massive armored vehicle roughly ten times the size of an M-1 Abrams Tank. Four sets of dual treads ripped apart the Earth as the behemoth vehicle continued towards its intended destination. Unlike normal tanks, this heavily armored mobile fortress carried an enormous central cannon, pointed into the sky at a 120 degree angle. This was the GH-X22 Atlas Mobile Fortress. It was the New Belka army's largest combat vehicle, equipped with several SAM missile launchers and four 70mm double barrel cannons as well as six individual machine gun stations. However, it was heavily damaged. Smoke plumed from where many of the SAM launchers were once, and three cannons were gone. When it had all began, this demon was a menace to all things opposing it. The battle from its emergence until now had whittled down the beast's defenses and left it nearly unable to defend itself.

Yet, despite the heavy damage from several air attacks by the Razgriz and the Riders, the Atlas was still moving forward.

"If we don't destroy that monster of war before it can fire, then we've lost everything worth fighting for! The destruction that thing will reap will crush everything, even hope! Don't stop." That voice was someone known. Kei Nagase, also known as Edge of the Razgriz Squadron. The monster she was referring to was not the Atlas, though fitting name that it was.

The real monster was the large cannon upon its back. This was the New Belkans greatest weapon of destruction. The Leucitius. It is an extreme range laser cannon that utilizes satellites as a reflectors. When this blue beam of light strikes, it creates a massive shockwave that leaves inorganic matter completely untouched, but dissolved organic matter entirely. That meant trees, grass, fruits and vegetables, and even human flesh. It was a weapon that was bred by hatred and fury, and designed to crush opposition and hope.

"Dammit! Those enemy jets are just as good as we are!" That voice was Hans Grimm, known as Archer. "We can get close, but never close enough."

"Everywhere. It's a cloud of black steel." That voice was someone new. Captain Merina Ayres. This was a member of a squadron known solely as the Riders 3. "How are we going to stop the God of Thunder if we can't get anywhere near him." She growled, curving her aircraft spectacularly and locking onto an enemy Typhoon. "Fox two! Fox Two!" Two sidewinder missiles sliced through the sky and erupted into the back of the enemy jet, turning it into a cloud of fire. "Dammit! Captain, I'm out of missiles!"

"Fox two!" A deeper voice called before an explosion ripped through the air. "Target down." This was Captain Davian Porter of the Riders Four called out. "Lock on the target…"

"On your six!" Another voice, a friendly, shouted out as his machine guns opened fire. Just behind Rider 4, an aircraft was shredded to pieces by high velocity lead. "Drummer, keep an eye on your surroundings." This belonged to Razgriz 3, also known as Swordsman. The two jets flew side by side before each loosing another pair of sidewinder missiles into the Atlas, three of them hitting their mark and causing the Mobile Fortress to shudder and groan, but not stop. The fourth missile struck the Leucitius.

"_What the...come on! Are you going to let eight planes take down the God of Thunder!?"_

"Funny thing about Gods." This voice belonged to another newcomer. This was Captain Quinton Meyers, also known as Riders 1 and known infamously by his call sign, The Reaper. "Most of them aren't. Fox two!" A missile tore through the air and struck the cannon along the side, causing slight damage to it. Overall, the situation was just as bad as it was before. "Dammit! How much punishment can that thing take?!"

"Too much for my liking." Porter replied.

"Fox two, fox two!" This voice belonged to another newcomer. This was Riders 2, Captain Jacobi Wesker. Another Typhoon erupted into a fireball as the missiles crashing into its tail. "Blast! Empty…What're we to do now, Captain'o'Captain?" From beside him, another two sidewinders cut through the air and slammed into the base connector of the Leucitius. An impressive explosion that finally dealt damage to the seemingly invincible God of Thunder. A plume of smoke rose from the base of the cannon, curling into the air. The cannon itself, however, was still functional.

"Son of a…I'm out of missiles! Everyone, report!" That was the voice of Razgriz 1 himself, known as Blaze. He did not need them to respond to know the news was bad. "We can't stop! Not here. Not now."

This battle had been long from the beginning, and now it was almost over. It would soon be over for millions of mothers and fathers, daughters and sons. For the millions of innocent people that had simply lived life to their fullest and enjoyed every sunrise and admired every sunset. For so many innocent people, there was no choice left. The failure of the Razgriz and the Riders meant the complete and utter genocide of an entire city, and would create a breed of fear that would never be silenced. For so many people, the choice had already come and gone. Failure seemed inevitable.

But for Rider 1…

For Reaper…

"_We're still reporting weapon's activity. The Leucitius is going to fire any minute now!" _Thunderhead reported frantically.

For…Captain Quinton Meyers, a choice still existed. And for this man, it would be a simple one to make.

"This is Rider 1…"

_**------ That Room ------**_

"I remember what it was like meeting Blaze. He was, and still is, so incredible. You can see it in his eyes." A sigh of admiration escaped Genette's lips. If one was present in the room, they would see his face scrunch up in pain next. "This war should have never happened. Not to him. He had gotten married at the end of the Circum-Pacific war. If you knew who he was, then it's not hard to figure out who he married. They have a child. '_Why is the world so cruel as to take away parents from children?_' I ask myself that every morning, as if it will bring the answer."

"No matter how many times I see it, war is an ugly thing. And yet…war breeds beauty. Beautiful people that can turn the tide of battle and bring peace." His tone lightened slightly, and the sound of a bed creaking and groaning was recorded next before Genette's voice returned. "Heroes. That's what they're called. Ugly war gives birth to beautiful heroes. Blaze and the Razgriz were born from war, and they are some of the greatest heroes this world has ever seen."

"Now, I'd like to talk about another group of heroes, and the man that led them. His name is Lt. Colonel Quinton Meyers, known by the call sign Reaper of the Riders Four squadron. He was another person that you knew was truly a human. He is the one that really earned this peace we have now. A peace that has lasted for so long."

"If you find this tape…listen to it all the way through. This is what the world refused to tell you. The true story of the Riders Four, and of Quinton Meyers."

One more elongated sigh escaped his lips, and then he glanced upwards and appraised his ceiling. Or at least, that was what it seemed like. "It begins twenty four years ago, six years after the Belkans were defeated once and for all, and the SOLG was destroyed high above Oured. And like all stories worth telling…"

"_It begins…on a dark and stormy night…"_

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A/N: A lot of this is supposed to ask questions. And if you can, let me know what those questions are. I want to know what you all are thinking is the most important. This story is going to be told in a dual kind of format. There will be the actual story, surrounding these four new characters you've met briefly in this prologue, and then during chapters there will be brief interludes where the story switches to narrative by Genette. 


End file.
